The Postcode Lottery Green Challenge is one of the world’s largest competitions in the field of sustainable entrepreneurship. Green start-ups from all over the world can submit their promising sustainable business plans. The winner will receive €500,000 to further develop the product or service, and to bring it to market. The runner-up will receive €200,000 and the three other finalists receive €100,000 each. An international jury selects the winner and runner-up.

The Dutch Postcode Lottery started the competition in 2007, after being inspired by president Clinton to look for those dedicated entrepreneurs with brilliant green business plans. Plans that are ready to speed up the transition towards a low carbon economy. The answers to the issues of our time are already in front of us. But it takes entrepreneurs like the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge finalists to present us with sustainable solutions and get them out into the world.

Eligibility Criteria:

Your plan

should have the potential to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by an amount you can roughly estimate

should be developed enough to execute

should be realisable as a usable product or service within the next two years

should preferably have integrated Cradle2Cradle principles in the designs

Besides these criteria, the jury will also look at factors such as: communication potential, courageousness and creativity.

You should

be willing to bring your idea to market yourself, and to commit to working with any organisation necessary for developing the product and/or implementing the service

be willing to attend the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge in Amsterdam if you are selected as a finalist to present your idea to the jury (reasonable travel and lodging expenses for one person per finalist will be reimbursed)

Benefits:

The five finalists of the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge win a minimum of €100,000, the runner-up receives €200,000 and the winner takes the grand prize of € 500,000. But it takes more than prize money alone to become successful and create impact.

On behalf of the Postcode Lottery Green Challenge, Rockstart organises a several months long tailored accelerator program for the five finalists, the Green Challenge Deep Dive.

The program is aimed at identifying the start-ups’ biggest challenges and to provide them with mentorship and valuable connections to become investor ready.

Timeline:

Until 1 June 2018 12:00 CEST you can complete your application.

The preliminary jury will announce the 25 nominees Mid-July.

Mid-August the preliminary jury will announce the five finalists.

On 13 September 2018 the five finalists will pitch their business plans for an international jury and selected audience.